Victory's ball
by la-perla's mermaid
Summary: A bitter take on what might happen to Adam and his relationship with his friends and family once the war is over. CHAPTER 2 added!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:

As you know already I don't own anything. I thought it might be interesting to depict Adam in a different way than the usual sweet tempered boy and instead I wondered. How would he react if he had a few more human flawed emotions towards the ones that insulted him such as resentment and rage? I think if he did it would be understandable.

….

Victory's Ball:

It was the last time he would see that face in the mirror, from the large muscles to the wise and mature expression on the eyes. The image before him was one that gave him as much honor as it gave embarrassment, safety and fear, infamy and pride. He man stood facing him on the perfect silvery surface as in a last goodbye.

Tonight the grand palace of Eternos celebrated the victory over all of his enemies, defeated was the last of the snake men, and the remaining of Skeletor's once great army. The fact that it was also the cowardly prince's twentieth birthday was merely an excuse for the party.

Four years of war took a toll on every eternian, but for the prince the price had been too dear. Gone was the innocent and fun loving child that brought mischief over the palace grounds, in his place a weary and resentful young man stood his ground, the façade of the vapid clown a pitiful attempt to deviate the attention that might cause his great secret to come true.

-"No more lies"- Adam told his reflection, now transformed into the mighty hero. He used to believe that he-man was often a course, especially when he had to endure the angry comments of his comrades and the ones he used to call friends. But now that the hero would no longer be needed he realized it was a blessing in disguise, for he showed him who his real friends were. Yes that list had gotten much shorter in these fateful years, but more trials would come and now he knew who was really on his side, and that was indeed priceless.

Soft knocking on the door rouse him from his musings and he took it as a cue to move on, the sword transformed him into his true self, finally saying goodbye to the source of his troubles and lately, his solutions. The king merely entered after knocking and Adam couldn't help feeling a little violated for his uncalled intrusion on his private chambers.

-"Yes sire"- Adam's tone was as polite as it was frigid.

-"Adam I was wondering if we could have a little chat before the party"- Randor said in the serious definite tone Adam had known so well.

The prince knew that the best conversations he could have with the king were the non-existent ones, being in the same room interchanging words would most likely end in a fight and a whole lot of humiliation, at least for his part.

-"I am sorry your highness but there are a few last minute details I have to solve before I make my appearance at the ball, if you like you can send me a written report exposing your case and I will respond to it shortly"- he said heading out of the room, he knew the best way to interact with Randor was to use the written word instead of face to face conversations, it was detached enough and spared them both of the unpleasant fights.

-"This isn't about a mission or a task son, can't we have a simple discussion without using written reports?"- The monarch said exasperated.

-"Not without creating a scene or worse"- Adam said tired, he had lied more than enough during this last four years he was done hiding who he was. Besides he learned by experience that advancing a fight shortened matters considerably and spared a lot of damage.

Randor sighed sadly and Adam could easily guess the snipe remarks forming in his king's lips, all of them died in a sigh. –"Sit down"- he said, still sounding adamant. The prince had no choice but to obey.

-"Son this is your twentieth birthday and I think it is time for you to finally grow up, you have come of age four years ago but I haven't seen a change in your behavior since you were a child, in spite of the many wars we had to endure. It is perhaps time that you begin to help your kingdom and a marriage, followed by a subsequent heir to the throne might bring stability to Eternos."-

Adam rolled his eyes, of course that thought had come to his mind. It became in fact a persistent idea, especially when he realized that a good relationship with his own father was a lost cause, he often fantasized of forming a family on his own with members that did honestly care for him. The prince was determined to be a better father to his child than Randor had been and that single dream usually gave him hope to survive the war. Many young women were more than suitable for the position and quite discreetly he had selected a few candidates.

-"I'll announce my engagement by the mid winter festival, with any luck there might be an heir by the next year. Now if that matter is settled I must be going now"- before Adam could reach the door knob his father stopped him with a hand on his shoulder and a surprised look on his face.

-"You have someone on your mind already? Adam I didn't know you were courting a lady!"-

-"I have a few options and I won't deny there is a favorite but I'd rather be discreet about it"-

-"But why? Who is she?"- The king smiled suspiciously –"Is it Teela?"-

Adam looked at Randor as if he had grown a second head –"Sire Teela is no longer my bodyguard, I was the one that spared her of that position when I got tired of her insults. The reason I recommended her for the honorable diplomat post was to get her out of my life without causing the humiliation of firing her in public. Basically I promoted that woman just to get rid of her and I only did it for respect towards Man at Arms"- The young man's voice was filled with such anger that it froze Randor to the core. Yes the girl had crossed the line on several occasions but as harsh as they were, her words were true. Adam had run away from almost every fight while she stayed and faced the nation's enemies, more than once she shed her blood on the battlefield while Adam ran to safety.

A thousand honest opinions regarding that subject ran in his head but before he spoke them he remembered the stern look on his wife's face when she made him promise he would speak to his son without turning it into yet another fight. He forced a few calming breaths and said as neutrally as he found possible: -"Regardless of her words Teela has always cared for you son, it is not fair that you push her out of your life"-

Almost a year ago he heard those words from Duncan himself, until one day she called him "a worthless waste of air" after a battle with the snake men was over, a battle wan only thanks to He-man. The Man at arms understood Adam's pain and when she refused to apologize he agreed that it might be better for her to learn about diplomacy.

-"If she does she has an unusual way to prove it, but one thing I have learned this past four years is that life in overall is not fair"- Adam told the king bitterly.

There was a cold rage in his son's eyes, something he had never seen in him before. It was difficult to reconcile the jovial price he often saw at court with this angry young man in front of him.

Swallowing Randor said trying to change the subject. - "Who is it then? Who will be your queen?"-

-"Probably princess Ariadne, from the kingdom of Ishteurea."- His son said flatly

Ishteurea was a small kingdom in the southern continent close to the dark hemisphere, an alliance with them would be incredibly benefic on both parts giving riches to the smaller kingdom and a privileged geographical position for Eternos. The girl was about Adam's age and everyone spoke of her beauty and her kindness. Randor couldn't have picked a better candidate if he tried.

-"Why didn't you say anything sooner?"-

-"Because as soon as anyone knew I planned to court a certain young lady a lot of intrigues would be unleashed. The girl would be pressured to make me like her in order to ensure their position, what is worse if for some reason I changed my mind the girl might be punished for it. So I can't speak of my decision until I am certain"-

Surprised at the thoughtful maturity in his son's actions he wondered if there might have been other aspects on his personality he could have overlooked.

-"Perhaps we could go to a diplomatic mission to Ishteurea, we could have a meeting and settle a few things"- Randor said putting an arm around him.

Adam recognized the trap in the king's affection, often they would try to bridge the gap between them so Randor would try to compromise Adam into a task demanding an act of faith from the boy to prove his commitment. It might be a foreign diplomatic mission or a meeting with ambassadors, nothing too difficult. Sadly his duties as He-man often made it impossible for the prince to accomplish the reasonable agreement and that would make the king's retaliation much worse, some of the denigrating insults were still imprinted on his psyche so deeply he found the idea of a new compromise between them terrifying. He learned the hard way it was better just to keep a healthy distance.

-"I think it is best if I handle this subject on my own your highness"- he gave his king a cold smile and disentangled from him. No longer caring about a proper behavior he walked out of his room, as he opened the door he heard Randor say:

-"Adam, when did you stop calling me father?"-

The prince remembered the time when, after fighting Skeletor who had previously managed to imprison and torture him for hours, came very late to a very important meeting of the council. The king had felt so embarrassed that he forgot about proper behavior and begun to insult him in front of the other nobles. Between the harsh words and the continuum exhaustion caused by his previous ordeal the boy's will crumble and he cried in front of everyone. The humiliation that followed will haunt him for many more years to come. It was then that he realized it was pointless, even damaging to see Randor as his father, later on he reconciled the idea of respecting him as a King. Ever since he gave up hope on that subject, things begun to get better, without that weight in his shoulders he started to focus on defeating the enemy. That episode had happened…

-"Fifteen months ago"- Adam responded and left the room without bothering to look behind him.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors note: The story was thought as a oneshot imitating Teelanafalcao in the way she makes these great short stories focused in the character's emotions, but the response was so wonderful I added a new chapter and I'm working on a sequel.

...

The inaugural dance at the party was his first and only obligation of the night. After that his mother said he could sneak out to go fishing with his real friends and celebrate his birthday the way he really wanted to. Mekanek and Ram Man waited near the sea of Rackash with their fishing gear ready and a large supply of Ale, Orko would join them later and Cringer was shyly waiting outside the ballroom (large crowds made him nervous) with any luck in a few hours he'll be eating Adam's catch.

So with midnight fishing in his mind the prince prepared to endure the boring dance and even worse, the boring royals he would have to dance with. He tried to shake off the grim mood the conversations with his father usually gave him.

For something that was initially conceived as a rhythmic spontaneous representation of music, the inaugural dance had become a deranged travesty of its original concept. It basically involved a few snobs moving in stiff squares in coldly calculated steps that had not been modified in generations. Everything was choreographed like clockwork and it depended on a person's status the partner they would dance with and for how much time, the wrong step or mannerism could bring political catastrophes that ranged from harmful gossip to, according to legend, disputes that developed into wars.

His mother, being the female of highest range in Eternos was first. He took her hand with a warm smile.

-"So dear, have you got your fishing rod prepared?"- She smiled amused

-"Yes mother I don't expect to be back until dawn"- He quipped, until he noticed the way her gaze drifted away.

-"What is it?"- He said suspicious, she always looked like that when she was about to ask him for something that he might not like to do. Since she had been the person that supported him the most in these past four years, he returned her kindness with complete loyalty, this meant that whatever she asked for he felt compelled to oblige. After all, unlike Duncan she did not know he was a hero in disguise, for what she knew he could be a coward yet she loved him nonetheless.

-"Your father knows about you and Ariadne and really wants to go with you to Ishteurea; he thinks that if both kingdoms would be united by marriage both kings should speak face to face"- She asked in a gentle voice, many times she had tried to convince father and son to spend some time together and every time Adam had been the one suffering for it.

Lately as her usual sweet natured son was slowly turning into a distant and taciturn young man, she often regretted her previous actions. To her it was the way her husband humiliated Adam in front of the council the straw that broke the camel's back, in the last fifteen months she begun to focus more on the damage control of her son's shattered self esteem than in a hopeless reconciliation.

But tonight Randor came to her distressed by having witnessed the change in Adam's behavior she had gradually noticed over a year ago, and surprised by the news of an engagement she had expected for a while now. Marlena had grown tired by now of telling her husband his harsh actions would come at a price, but for the first time in years today he actually listened and genuinely wanted to make amends.

-"I can handle this on my own mother"- He said coldly, his previous cheer had vanished instantly.

-"Adam…"- She said in a tone that was gentle but persistent, unlike Randor Marlena had not only her son's respect but also his affection, she knew he would never tell her no.

-"This is too important! This is my future family we are talking about, if he gets into one of his fits and humiliates me in front of the people of Ishteurea my wedding could be at stake"- He said in a panic.

-"Adam if he does such a thing I will rain so much hell onto him that everyone will speak of his own public demise."- The intensity of her stare told him she meant business. The queen had also grown tired of vouching for her husband only to have him lose his temper and hurt her baby once more. Randor was at an ultimatum if he ruined something so important for her son she would cut ties from him as well.

-"Fine mother, I'll take your word for it"- he grumbled

-"Do you really love her?"- She asked in a tentative voice

But before he could respond the first piece was over and he had to dance with the second most important woman in the kingdom, the former captain of the guard and current honorable diplomat.

He hadn't even bothered to spend any time with Teela since her promotion allowed him to get as far away from her as possible. He had heard rumors of how she had blossomed in this new rank; some claimed she had become the most beautiful woman in the realm.

The young woman in front of him was unrecognizable. From the exquisite dress made of copper colored silk with gold embroidering to the lovely way her long red tresses framed her face, she was the sight of perfection. Yet the eeriest thing about it was the delicate way in which she walked towards him and bowed, being trained more in martial arts than posture or dance, the girl he had grown up with had never been this graceful.

The new music piece echoed through the ballroom and both of them moved in the overly practiced way they knew so well. He could easily disregard her change in appearance, her beauty was nothing new to him and the primping and fussing she subjected herself to might make a world of difference for others, but Adam knew no amount of delicate lace could soften her hard, cold hearted soul.

-"You look lovely your honor"- Adam said amused, she hated to be called that way when they were little.

-"Shut up my bodice is suffocating, my slippers are uncomfortable as hell and I had to sit still for _four hours_ just to have my hair done"- Now that was the Teela he had grown up with.

Then she retorted with a wicked grin -"Congratulations your highness, for your upcoming engagement"- Her saccharine words reached his ears and his rage begun to overwhelm him. They could have just stay quiet for the duration of the damn song but now she chose to make small talk with a very sensitive subject.

-"Thank you, but how did you know about it?"- If snipe remarks were in order then fine, he could play that game.

-"Randor told me a few minutes ago, but I had seen it coming for a while now she always stood up for you. He even suggested I should be her escort around the palace"- She said nonchalant as her feet drove her delicate form on the marble floor as if she slid on air, all those obnoxious dance lessons did pay off.

Adam felt his blood boil now; Teela was not only part but also responsible of the darkest period in his life. All he wanted was a fresh start without someone like her berating him every second, for elders' sake! She could even turn his future wife against him! After all she was the first to publicly insult him when the war started and a handful of the masters were heavily influenced by her comments. How could Adam prove there was more to him than the cowardly price when Teela kept complaining about him? She was, unlike him, a respected warrior and her opinions were taken seriously. Who knows? Had she been kinder he might have been more respected by everyone else.

The idea of his future family had lately been his lifeline, the light behind the pitch black tunnel of misery and hopelessness the war had pushed him into, so he would not let anything ruin it.

Bad enough was the fact that the king wanted to take part in this, but in his case sometimes Adam had to suck it up because sadly they were related. They shared a bloodline and no emotional distance could severe that bond completely, try as he might. Teela on the other hand was not his sibling even when they were raised as if so, she hadn't been his friend for years; she wasn't even a fellow soldier since there were no battles to fight anymore.

So before he knew it all that rage he built up over the years just bubbled up from the darkest recess of his soul and escaped from his mouth in one angry rant:

-"You will not come near my bride!"- His voice was low as to not raise suspicions but in its whispered hiss carried a lot of venom –"You have ruined too many of my relationships in the past I will not let you near her. You will decline Randor's suggestion or I will make sure to keep you the fuck away from my family. Is that clear?"-

Her emerald eyes focused on his face showing outrage, shock and anger. Defiant as always she asked while he spun her on his heels with a flourish, their dance was as fluid as ever regardless of the dancers' emotions. –"And if I don't? If I choose to do as I please and be with anyone I want? Your lovely princess included? - Her nonchalance barely covered her sarcasm.

-"I have suggested a retirement plan for the masters and most courageous warriors. A decent sum of money that would ensure that they wouldn't need to work for another day in their lives if they didn't want to, Randor approved it. You fought as one of the masters so you qualify, add to it your efficient job as a diplomat and you could retire and live like a wealthy woman for the rest of your life."-

-"I am 21 years old Adam I will not retire!"- In spite of the calm way she seemed to follow his moves in the dance, her fingers dug its nails deep in his hand drawing blood.

-"There is a clause that says than a member of the royalty can assign that plan to any warrior than he or she chooses, and the decision could not be appealed. After all who could deny a noble from giving a faithful warrior a lifelong pension?"- He said giving her a cold toothy grin that reminded Teela of sharks. Where had her longtime friend gone? Where was the sweet young man she had played with her entire childhood?

-"You wouldn't do it, you couldn't dare"- She said shakily, green eyes on the verge of tears -"I was the youngest captain ever appointed because of my dedication alone. I became part of the masters in the war against Skeletor and I have fought more battles I can remember while you hid who knows where. Even in this new post I recently negotiated three economic treaties with nations that had once been our enemies. This is a kingdom I helped defend and worked for since I became of age, you have no right to kick me out of it"-

To that statement his only response was to grab her firmly by the waist, looking at her straight in the eye and say: -"Try me"-

The world she used to know crumbled beneath her feet, elders help her he really meant that. There wasn't the smallest trace of care in his cold blue eyes anymore; reality struck her like a brick.

-"You do hate me"- She said as her heart shattered in pieces while the oblivious crowd cheered for the dancers, their steps had been perfect.


End file.
